Funny how a little orange creature appearing from the stump of a truffula tree provides words of wisdom. His name is the Lorax and his words pack powerful messages. He tries to teach a young boy to eliminate greed from his life. The boy fails to understand the message until it is too late. He destroys a forest to create a fashion product to please his customers and receive money. Meanwhile, with each tree that falls, the creatures of the forest lose their means of living. They need the trees to breath and eat. The boy focuses only on himself. Soon the trees are gone, the creatures left to find another home and the boy's company shuts down due to loss of material.
The boy is left alone in a dark world. The Lorax tried to warn the boy. A promise was made that no tree would be cut down. Once the money blinded the boy's thoughts, the promise went out the window. The Lorax reminded him, "A tree falls the way it leans; be careful which way you lean." He had two ways to lean: toward greedy living or selfless living.
The boy allowed greed to cloud his thoughts and saw the trees in a completely different light. He did not see them as life, beauty or necessary. He stated, "It is not about what it is; it's about what it can become." His focus remained on glory and money.
The boy had a visitor after years of living alone in the dark forest. He explained the whole story and the regret he lived with for all these years. The Lorax left one little stone with the word, 'Unless' chiseled on the front. The boy never understood why until his visitor came. He realized that it takes one person to care a whole lot and strive to get things back where they need to be before anything can be done. This visitor greatly cared to bring the forest back to life and save a nearby town. The boy explained to the visitor, "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better; it is not."
Do you ever feel like the boy in this story? The world presents temptations daily to veer us the wrong way. Idols fall into our paths, such as, money, possessions, careers, popularity, status or beauty. These consume our thoughts and place blinders on the sides of our head. Our tunnel vision sways us and we lean toward those idols. We fall into the life of greedy, selfish, destructive living. Others around us suffer, but we do not see it until the damage has been done. Our selfish focus steals the life from others.
Thankfully, we serve a forgiving God. One Who stands with open arms. His arms will grab a hold of your life and stand you upright. As the boy saw a vision in the trees of what they could become, God knows what we can become WHEN leaning toward Him. It matters not what we are or how far or long we've leaned toward the wrong path; God believes in us and never counts us lost. He does not forget the vision He had when creating us. Damage may be done due to our wrong decisions and blind living; but God will forgive and repair.
Unless someone cares a whole awful lot, things cannot get better. Remember the one who cared enough to help you see the way to go. Think back to the one person who cared enough to continually speak Truth into your life. That person did not give up on you, never left your side and continued to encourage you to seek God. That person allowed God to shine light onto your life through words spoken, hugs given and time spent. That person cared a whole awful lot to help you better your life. That person knew that chasing idols in this world leans you toward a destructive path. That person saw not what you were at the time, but what you could become if leaning toward the straight path. Thank that person today!
Now, can you be the one to care a whole awful lot, see others for what they could become and not what they are currently? Can you learn from this orange, fuzzy little creature evolving from a tree? His words pack some powerful lessons. Let us take them and apply them in our lives. Take off the blinders from idols of this world. Lean toward God and fall into His arms daily. Shine His light into other's lives. Don't give up on anyone. Continue to encourage and build up all you meet. Set the example you once were given by standing firm on Truth. Make things better by caring a whole awful lot!
God, thank you for another day. Thank You for placing many people in my life to lead me to Your Word. I am thankful those people never gave/give up on me. Though I may fall, they are there to pick me up and lean me back toward Truth. Help me provide the same to others I meet and those placed in my path. Shine through me and use me to help others remove blinders. I care a whole awful lot and want to serve You with each step. Give me strength and courage to do so! I love you.
Keep praying harder than the devil can work.
Sheree Craig
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